ON SIN IN BELIEVERS. John Wesley SERMON 13. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. 2 Cor. 5:17.

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1 You will know them by their fruits. Mt. 7:16 I. John Wesley SERMON 13 ON SIN IN BELIEVERS If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. 2 Cor. 5: Is there then sin in him that is in Christ? Does sin remain in one that believes in him? Is there any sin in them that are born of God, or are they wholly delivered from it? Let no one imagine this to be a question of mere curiosity; or that it is of little importance whether it be determined one way or the other. Rather it is a point of the utmost moment to every serious Christian; the resolving of which very nearly concerns both his present and eternal happiness. 2. And yet I do not know that ever it was controverted in the primitive Church. Indeed there was no room for disputing concerning it, as all Christians were agreed. And so far as I have observed, the whole body of ancient Christians, who have left us anything in writing, declare with one voice, that even believers in Christ, till they are strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, have need to wrestle with flesh and blood, with an evil nature, as well as with principalities and powers. 3. And herein our own Church (as indeed in most points) exactly copies after the primitive; declaring in her Ninth Article, Original sin is the corruption of the nature of every man, whereby man is in his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth contrary to the Spirit. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in Greek HTQPGOCýUCTMQL, is not subject to the law of God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe, yet this lust hath of itself the nature of sin. 4. The same testimony is given by all other Churches; not only by the Greek and Romish Church, but by every Reformed Church in Europe, of whatever denomination. Indeed some of these seem to carry the thing too far; so describing the corruption of heart in a believer, as scarce to allow that he has dominion over it, but rather is in bondage thereto; and, by this means, they leave hardly any distinction between a believer and an unbeliever. 5. To avoid this extreme, many well-meaning men, particularly those under the direction of the late Count Zinzendorf, ran into another; affirming, that all true believers are not only saved from the dominion of sin, but from the being of inward as well as outward sin, so that it no longer remains in them: And from them, about twenty years ago, many of our countrymen imbibed the same opinion, that even the corruption of nature is no more, in those who believe in Christ.

2 6. It is true that, when the Germans were pressed upon this head, they soon allowed, (many of them at least,) that sin did still remain in the flesh, but not in the heart of a believer; and, after a time, when the absurdity of this was shown, they fairly gave up the point; allowing that sin did still remain, though not reign, in him that is born of God. 7. But the English, who had received it from them, (some directly, some at second or third hand,) were not so easily prevailed upon to part with a favourite opinion: And even when the generality of them were convinced it was utterly indefensible, a few could not be persuaded to give it up, but maintain it to this day. II. 1. For the sake of these who really fear God, and desire to know the truth as it is in Jesus, it may not be amiss to consider the point with calmness and impartiality. In doing this, I use indifferently the words, regenerate, justified, or believers; since, though they have not precisely the same meaning, (the First implying an inward, actual change, the Second a relative one, and the Third the means whereby both the one and the other are wrought,) yet they come to one and the same thing; as everyone that believes, is both justified and born of God. 2. By sin, I here understand inward sin; any sinful temper, passion, or affection; such as pride, self-will, love of the world, in any kind or degree; such as lust, anger, peevishness; any disposition contrary to the mind which was in Christ. 3. The question is not concerning outward sin; whether a child of God commits sin or no. We all agree and earnestly maintain, He that committeth sin is of the devil. We agree, Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin. Neither do we now inquire whether inward sin will always remain in the children of God; whether sin will continue in the soul as long as it continues in the body: Nor yet do we inquire whether a justified person may relapse either into inward or outward sin; but simply this, Is a justified or regenerate man freed from all sin as soon as he is justified? Is there then no sin in his heart? -- nor ever after, unless he fall from grace? 4. We allow that the state of a justified person is inexpressibly great and glorious. He is born again, not of blood, nor of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. He is a child of God, a member of Christ, an heir of the kingdom of heaven. The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keepeth his heart and mind in Christ Jesus. His very body is a temple of the Holy Ghost, and an habitation of God through the Spirit. He is created anew in Christ Jesus: He is washed, he is sanctified. His heart is purified by faith; he is cleansed from the corruption that is in the world; the love of God is shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost which is given unto him. And so long as he walketh in love, (which he may always do,) he worships God in spirit and in truth. He keepeth the commandments of God, and doeth those things that are pleasing in his sight; so exercising himself as to have a conscience void of offence, toward God and toward man: And he has power both over outward and inward sin, even from the moment he is justified. III. 1. But was he not then freed from all sin, so that there is no sin in his heart? I cannot say this; I cannot believe it; because St. Paul says the contrary. He is speaking to believers, and describing the state of believers in general, when he says, The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: These are contrary the one to the other. (Gal. 5:17) Nothing can be more express. The Apostle here directly affirms that the flesh, evil nature, opposes the Spirit, even in believers; that even in the regenerate there are two principles, contrary the one to the other.

3 2. Again: When he writes to the believers at Corinth, to those who were sanctified in Christ Jesus, (1 Cor. 1:2) he says, I, brethren, could not speak unto you, as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ. Ye are yet carnal: For whereas there is among you envying and strife, are ye not carnal? (1 Cor. 3:1-3) Now here the Apostle speaks unto those who were unquestionably believers, -- whom, in the same breath, he styles his brethren in Christ, -- as being still, in a measure, carnal. He affirms, there was envying, (an evil temper,) occasioning strife among them, and yet does not give the least intimation that they had lost their faith. Nay, he manifestly declares they had not; for then they would not have been babes in Christ. And (what is most remarkable of all) he speaks of being carnal, and babes in Christ, as one and the same thing; plainly showing that every believer is (in a degree) carnal, while he is only a babe in Christ. 3. Indeed this grand point, that there are two contrary principles in believers, -- nature and grace, the flesh and the Spirit, runs through all the Epistles of St. Paul, yea, through all the Holy Scriptures; almost all the directions and exhortations therein are founded on this supposition; pointing at wrong tempers or practices in those who are, notwithstanding, acknowledged by the inspired writers to be believers. And they are continually exhorted to fight with and conquer these, by the power of the faith which was in them. 4. And who can doubt, but there was faith in the angel of the church of Ephesus, when our Lord said to him, I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience: Thou hast patience, and for my name s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted? (Rev. 2:2-4.) But was there, meantime, no sin in his heart? Yea, or Christ would not have added, Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. This was real sin which God saw in his heart; of which, accordingly, he is exhorted to repent: And yet we have no authority to say, that even then he had no faith. 5. Nay, the angel of the church at Pergamos, also, is exhorted to repent, which implies sin, though our Lord expressly says, Thou hast not denied my faith. (Rev. 2:13, 16) And to the angel of the church in Sardis, he says, Strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. The good which remained was ready to die; but was not actually dead. (Rev. 3:2) So there was still a spark of faith even in him; which he is accordingly commanded to hold fast. (Rev. 3:3.) 6. Once more: When the Apostle exhorts believers to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, (2 Cor. 7:1,) he plainly teaches, that those believers were not yet cleansed therefrom. Will you answer, He that abstains from all appearance of evil, does ipso facto cleanse himself from all filthiness? Not in any wise. For instance: A man reviles me: I feel resentment, which is filthiness of spirit; yet I say not a word. Here I abstain from all appearance of evil; but this does not cleanse me from that filthiness of spirit, as I experience to my sorrow. 7. And as this position, There is no sin in a believer, no carnal mind, no bent to backsliding, is thus contrary to the word of God, so it is to the experience of his children. These continually feel an heart bent to backsliding; a natural tendency to evil; a proneness to depart from God, and cleave to the things of earth. They are daily sensible of sin remaining in their heart, -- pride, self-will, unbelief; and of sin cleaving to all they speak and do, even their best actions and holiest duties. Yet at the same time they know that they are of God; they cannot doubt of it for a moment. They feel his Spirit clearly witnessing with their spirit, that they are the children of God. They rejoice in God through Christ Jesus, by whom they have now received the atonement. So that they are equally assured, that sin is in them, and that Christ is in them the hope of glory.

4 8. But can Christ be in the same heart where sin is? Undoubtedly he can; otherwise it never could be saved therefrom. Where the sickness is, there is the Physician, Carrying on his work within, Striving till he cast out sin. Christ indeed cannot reign, where sin reigns; neither will he dwell where any sin is allowed. But he is and dwells in the heart of every believer, who is fighting against all sin; although it be not yet purified, according to the purification of the sanctuary. 9. It has been observed before, that the opposite doctrine, -- That there is no sin in believers, - is quite new in the church of Christ; that it was never heard of for seventeen hundred years; never till it was discovered by Count Zinzendorf. I do not remember to have seen the least intimation of it, either in any ancient or modern writer; unless perhaps in some of the wild, ranting Antinomians. (Calvinists) And these likewise say and unsay, acknowledging there is sin in their flesh, although no sin in their heart. But whatever doctrine is new must be wrong; for the old religion is the only true one; and no doctrine can be right, unless it is the very same which was from the beginning. 10. One argument more against this new, unscriptural doctrine may be drawn from the dreadful consequences of it. One says, I felt anger to-day. Must I reply, Then you have no faith? Another says, I know what you advise is good, but my will is quite averse to it. Must I tell him, Then you are an unbeliever, under the wrath and the curse of God? What will be the natural consequence of this? Why, if he believe what I say, his soul will not only be grieved and wounded, but perhaps utterly destroyed; inasmuch as he will cast away that confidence which hath great recompense of reward: And having cast away his shield, how shall he quench the fiery darts of the wicked one? How shall he overcome the world? -- seeing this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. He stands disarmed in the midst of his enemies, open to all their assaults. What wonder then, if he be utterly overthrown; if they take him captive at their will; yea, if he fall from one wickedness to another, and never see good any more? I cannot, therefore, by any means receive this assertion, that there is no sin in a believer from the moment he is justified; First, because it is contrary to the whole tenor of Scripture; -- Secondly, because it is contrary to the experience of the children of God; -- Thirdly, because it is absolutely new, never heard of in the world till yesterday; -- and Lastly, because it is naturally attended with the most fatal consequences; not only grieving those whom God hath not grieved, but perhaps dragging them into everlasting perdition. IV. 1. However, let us give a fair hearing to the chief arguments of those who endeavour to support it. And it is, First, from Scripture they attempt to prove that there is no sin in a believer. They argue thus: The Scripture says, Every believer is born of God, is clean, is holy, is sanctified, is pure in heart, has a new heart, is a temple of the Holy Ghost. Now, as `that which is born of the flesh is flesh, is altogether evil, so `that which is born of the Spirit is spirit, is altogether good. Again: A man cannot be clean, sanctified, holy, and at the same time unclean, unsanctified, unholy. He cannot be pure and impure, or have a new and an old heart together. Neither can his soul be unholy, while it is a temple of the Holy Ghost. I have put this objection as strong as possible, that its full weight may appear. Let us now examine it, part by part. And, 1. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit, is altogether good. I allow the text, but not the comment. For the text affirms this, and no more, -- that every man who is born of the Spirit, is a spiritual man. He is so: But so he may be, and yet not be altogether spiritual. The Christians at Corinth were spiritual men; else they had

5 been no Christians at all; and yet they were not altogether spiritual: they were still, in part, carnal. -- But they were fallen from grace. St. Paul says, No. They were even then babes in Christ. 2. But a man cannot be clean, sanctified, holy, and at the same time unclean, unsanctified, unholy. Indeed he may. So the Corinthians were. Ye are washed, says the Apostle, ye are sanctified; namely, cleansed from fornication, idolatry, drunkenness, and all other outward sin; (1 Cor. 6:9, 10, 11;) and yet at the same time, in another sense of the word, they were unsanctified; they were not washed, not inwardly cleansed from envy, evil surmising, partiality. -- But sure, they had not a new heart and an old heart together. It is most sure they had, for at that very time, their hearts were truly, yet not entirely, renewed. Their carnal mind was nailed to the cross; yet it was not wholly destroyed. -- But could they be unholy while they were `temples of the Holy Ghost? Yes; that they were temples of the Holy Ghost, is certain; (1 Cor. 6:19;) and it is equally certain, they were, in some degree, carnal, that is, unholy. 2. However, there is one Scripture more which will put the matter out of question: `If any man be a believer `in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Cor. 5:17.) Now certainly a man cannot be a new creature and an old creature at once. Yes, he may: He may be partly renewed, which was the very case with those at Corinth. They were doubtless renewed in the spirit of their mind, or they could not have been so much as babes in Christ. yet they had not the whole mind which was in Christ, for they envied one another. But it is said expressly, `Old things are passed away: All things are become new. But we must not so interpret the Apostle s words, as to make him contradict himself. And if we will make him consistent with himself, the plain meaning of the words is this: His old judgment concerning justification, holiness, happiness, indeed concerning the things of God in general, is now passed away; so are his old desires, designs, affections, tempers, and conversation. All these are undeniably become new, greatly changed from what they were; and yet, though they are new, they are not wholly new. Still he feels, to his sorrow and shame, remains of the old man, too manifest taints of his former tempers and affections, though they cannot gain any advantage over him, as long as he watches unto prayer. 3. This whole argument, If he is clean, he is clean; If he is holy, he is holy; (and twenty more expressions of the same kind may easily be heaped together;) is really no better than playing upon words: It is the fallacy of arguing from a particular to a general; of inferring a general conclusion from particular premises. Propose the sentence entire, and it runs thus: If he is holy at all, he is holy altogether. That does not follow: Every babe in Christ is holy, and yet not altogether so. He is saved from sin; yet not entirely: It remains, though it does not reign. If you think it does not remain, (in babes at least, whatever be the case with young men, or fathers) you certainly have not considered the height, and depth, and length, and breadth of the law of God; (even the law of love, laid down by St. Paul in the thirteenth of Corinthians;) and that every CPQOKC, disconformity to, or deviation from, this law is sin. Now, is there no disconformity to this in the heart or life of a believer? What may be in an adult Christian, is another question; but what a stranger must he be to human nature, who can possibly imagine, that this is the case with every babe in Christ! 4. But believers walk after the Spirit, [What follows for some pages is an answer to a paper, published in the Christian Magazine, p I am surprised Mr. Dodd should give such a paper a place in his Magazine, which is directly contrary to our Ninth Article. -- Editor] (Rom. 8:1,) and the Spirit of God dwells in them; consequently, they are delivered from the guilt, the power, or, in one word, the being of sin. These are coupled together, as if they were the same thing. But they are not the same

6 thing. The guilt is one thing, the power another, and the being yet another. That believers are delivered from the guilt and power of sin we allow; that they are delivered from the being of it we deny. Nor does it in any wise follow from these texts. A man may have the Spirit of God dwelling in him, and may walk after the Spirit, though he still feels the flesh lusting against the Spirit. 5. But the `church is the body of Christ; (Col. 1:24;) this implies, that its members are washed from all filthiness; otherwise it will follow, that Christ and Belial are incorporated with each other. Nay, it will not follow from hence, Those who are the mystical body of Christ, still feel the flesh lusting against the Spirit, that Christ has any fellowship with the devil; or with that sin which he enables them to resist and overcome. 6. But are not Christians `come to the heavenly Jerusalem, where `nothing defiled can enter? (Heb. 12:22.) Yes; and to an innumerable company of angels, and to the spirits of just men made perfect: That is, Earth and heaven all agree; All is one great family. And they are likewise holy and undefiled, while they walk after the Spirit; although sensible there is another principle in them, and that these are contrary to each other. 7. But Christians are reconciled to God. Now this could not be, if any of the carnal mind remained; for this is enmity against God: Consequently, no reconciliation can be effected, but by its total destruction. We are reconciled to God through the blood of the cross: And in that moment the HTQPGOCý UCTMQL, the corruption of nature, which is enmity with God, is put under our feet; the flesh has no more dominion over us. But it still exists; and it is still in its nature enmity with God, lusting against his Spirit. 8. But `they that are Christ s have crucified the flesh, with its affections and lusts. (Gal. 5:24.) They have so; yet it remains in them still, and often struggles to break from the cross. Nay, but they have `put off the old man with his deeds. (Col. 3:9.) They have; and, in the sense above described, old things are passed away; all things are become new. A hundred texts may be cited to the same effect; and they will all admit of the same answer. -- But, to say all in one word, `Christ gave himself for the Church, that it might be holy and without blemish. (Eph. 5:25, 27.) And so it will be in the end: But it never was yet, from the beginning to this day. 9. But let experience speak: All who are justified do at that time find an absolute freedom from all sin. That I doubt; But, if they do, do they find it ever after? Else you gain nothing. -- If they do not, it is their own fault. That remains to be proved. 10. But, in the very nature of things, can a man have pride in him, and not be proud; anger, and yet not be angry? A man may have pride in him, may think of himself in some particulars above what he ought to think, (and so be proud in that particular,) and yet not be a proud man in his general character. He may have anger in him, yea, and a strong propensity to furious anger, without giving way to it. - But can anger and pride be in that heart, where only meekness and humility are felt? No; but some pride and anger may be in that heart, where there is much humility and meekness. It avails not to say, These tempers are there, but they do not reign: For sin cannot, in any kind or degree, exist where it does not reign; for guilt and power are essential properties of sin. Therefore, where one of them is, all must be. Strange indeed! Sin cannot, in any kind or degree, exist where it does not reign?

7 Absolutely contrary this to all experience, all Scripture, all common sense. Resentment of an affront is sin; it is CPQOKC, disconformity to the law of love. This has existed in me a thousand times. Yet it did not, and does not, reign. -- But guilt and power are essential properties of sin; therefore where one is, all must be. No: In the instance before us, if the resentment I feel is not yielded to, even for a moment, there is no guilt at all, no condemnation from God upon that account. And in this case, it has no power: though it lusteth against the Spirit, it cannot prevail. Here, therefore, as in ten thousand instances, there is sin without either guilt or power. 11. But the supposing sin in a believer is pregnant with everything frightful and discouraging. It implies the contending with a power that has the possession of our strength; maintains his usurpation of our hearts; and there prosecutes the war in defiance of our Redeemer. Not so: The supposing sin is in us, does not imply that it has the possession of our strength; no more than a man crucified has the possession of those that crucify him. As little does it imply, that sin maintains its usurpation of our hearts. The usurper is dethroned. He remains indeed where he once reigned; but remains in chains. So that he does, in some sense, prosecute the war, yet he grows weaker and weaker; while the believer goes on from strength to strength, conquering and to conquer. 12. I am not satisfied yet: He that has sin in him, is a slave to sin. Therefore you suppose a man to be justified, while he is a slave to sin. Now, if you allow men may be justified while they have pride, anger, or unbelief in them; nay, if you aver, these are (at least for a time) in all that are justified; what wonder that we have so many proud, angry, unbelieving believers! I do not suppose any man who is justified is a slave to sin: Yet I do suppose sin remains (at least for a time) in all that are justified. But, if sin remains in a believer, he is a sinful man: If pride, for instance, then he is proud; if self-will, then he is self-willed; if unbelief, then he is an unbeliever; consequently, no believer at all. How then does he differ from unbelievers, from unregenerate men? This is still mere playing upon words. It means no more than, if there is sin, pride, self-will in him, then there is sin, pride, self-will. And this nobody can deny. In that sense then he is proud, or self-willed. But he is not proud or self-willed in the same sense that unbelievers are; that is, governed by pride or self-will. Herein he differs from unregenerate men. They obey sin; he does not. Flesh is in them both. But they walk after the flesh; he walks after the Spirit. But how can unbelief be in a believer? That word has two meanings. It means either no faith, or little faith; either the absence of faith or the weakness of it. In the former sense, unbelief is not in a believer; in the latter, it is in all babes. Their faith is commonly mixed with doubt or fear; that is, in the latter sense, with unbelief. Why are ye fearful, says our Lord, O ye of little faith? Again: O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? You see here was unbelief in believers; little faith and much unbelief. 13. But this doctrine, that sin remains in a believer; that a man may be in the favour of God, while he has sin in his heart; certainly tends to encourage men in sin. Understand the proposition right, and no such consequence follows. A man may be in God s favour though he feel sin; but not if he yields to it. Having sin does not forfeit the favour of God; giving way to sin does. Though the flesh in you lust against the Spirit, you may still be a child of God; but if you walk after the flesh, you are a child of the devil. Now this doctrine does not encourage to obey sin, but to resist it with all our might.

8 V. 1. The sum of all is this: There are in every person, even after he is justified, two contrary principles, nature and grace, termed by St. Paul the flesh and the Spirit. Hence, although even babes in Christ are sanctified, yet it is only in part. In a degree, according to the measure of their faith, they are spiritual; yet, in a degree they are carnal. Accordingly, believers are continually exhorted to watch against the flesh, as well as the world and the devil. And to this agrees the constant experience of the children of God. While they feel this witness in themselves, they feel a will not wholly resigned to the will of God. They know they are in him; and yet find an heart ready to depart from him, a proneness to evil in many instances, and a backwardness to that which is good. The contrary doctrine is wholly new; never heard of in the church of Christ, from the time of his coming into the world, till the time of Count Zinzendorf; and it is attended with the most fatal consequences. It cuts off all watching against our evil nature, against the Delilah which we are told is gone, though she is still lying in our bosom. It tears away the shield of weak believers, deprives them of their faith and so leaves them exposed to all the assaults of the world, the flesh, and the devil. 2. Let us, therefore, hold fast the sound doctrine once delivered to the saints, and delivered down by them with the written word to all succeeding generations: That although we are renewed, cleansed, purified, sanctified, the moment we truly believe in Christ, yet we are not then renewed, cleansed, purified altogether; but the flesh, the evil nature, still remains (though subdued) and wars against the Spirit. So much the more let us use all diligence in fighting the good fight of faith. So much the more earnestly let us watch and pray against the enemy within. The more carefully let us take to ourselves, and put on, the whole armor of God; that, although we wrestle both with flesh, and blood, and with the principalities, and with powers, and wicked spirits in high places, we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. John Wesley SERMON 44 (text from the 1872 edition) ORIGINAL SIN And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Gen. 6:5. 1. How widely different is this from the fair pictures of human nature which men have drawn in all ages! The writings of many of the ancients abound with gay descriptions of the dignity of man; whom some of them paint as having all virtue and happiness in his composition, or, at least, entirely in his power, without being beholden to any other being; yea, as self-sufficient, able to live on his own stock, and little inferior to God himself. 2. Nor have Heathens alone, men who are guided in their researches by little more than the dim light of reason, but many likewise of them that bear the name of Christ, and to whom are entrusted the oracles of God, spoken as magnificently concerning the nature of man, as if it were all innocence and perfection. Accounts of this kind have particularly abounded in the present (17 th ) century; and perhaps in no part of the world more than in our own country. Here not a few persons of strong understanding, as well as

9 extensive learning, have employed their utmost abilities to show, what they termed, the fair side of human nature. And it must he acknowledged, that, if their accounts of him be just, man is still but a little lower than the angels; or, as the words may be more literally rendered, a little less than God. 3. Is it any wonder, that these accounts are very readily received by the generality of men? For who is not easily persuaded to think favourably of himself? Accordingly, writers of this kind are most universally read, admired, applauded. And innumerable are the converts they have made, not only in the gay, but the learned world. So that it is now quite unfashionable to talk otherwise, to say any thing to the disparagement of human nature; which is generally allowed, notwithstanding a few infirmities, to be very innocent, and wise, and virtuous! 4. But, in the mean time, what must we do with our Bibles? -- for they will never agree with this. These accounts, however pleasing to flesh and blood, are utterly irreconcilable with the scriptural. The Scripture avers, that by one man s disobedience all men were constituted sinners; that in Adam all died, spiritually died, lost the life and the image of God; that fallen, sinful Adam then begat a son in his own likeness; -- nor was it possible he should beget him in any other; for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? -- that consequently we, as well as other men, were by nature dead in trespasses and sins, without hope, without God in the world, and therefore children of wrath; that every man may say, I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin did my mother conceive me; that there is no difference, in that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, of that glorious image of God wherein man was originally created. And hence, when the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, he saw they were all gone out of the way; they were altogether become abominable, there was none righteous, no, not one, none that truly sought after God: Just agreeable this, to what is declared by the Holy Ghost in the words above recited, God saw, when he looked down from heaven before, that the wickedness of man was great in the earth; so great, that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. This is God s account of man: From which I shall take occasion, First, to show what men were before the flood: Secondly, to inquire, whether they are not the same now: And, Thirdly, to add some inferences. I. 1. I am, First, by opening the words of the text, to show what men were before the flood. And we may fully depend on the account here given: For God saw it, and he cannot be deceived. He saw that the wickedness of man was great: -- Not of this or that man; not of a few men only; not barely of the greater part, but of man in general; of men universally. The word includes the whole human race, every partaker of human nature. And it is not easy for us to compute their numbers, to tell how many thousands and millions they were. The earth then retained much of its primeval beauty and original fruitfulness. The face of the globe was not rent and torn as it is now; and spring and summer went hand in hand. It is therefore probable, it afforded sustenance for far more inhabitants than it is now capable of sustaining; and these must be immensely multiplied, while men begat sons and daughters for seven or eight hundred years together. Yet, among all this inconceivable number, only Noah found favour with God. He alone (perhaps including part of his household) was an exception from the universal wickedness, which, by the just judgment of God, in a short time after brought on universal

10 destruction. All the rest were partakers in the same guilt, as they were in the same punishment. 2. God saw all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart; -- of his soul, his inward man, the spirit within him, the principle of all his inward and outward motions. He saw all the imaginations: It is not possible to find a word of a more extensive signification. It includes whatever is formed, made, fabricated within; all that is or passes in the soul; every inclination, affection, passion, appetite; every temper, design, thought. It must of consequence include every word and action, as naturally flowing from these fountains, and being either good or evil according to the fountain from which they severally flow. 3. Now God saw that all this, the whole thereof, was evil; -- contrary to moral rectitude; contrary to the nature of God, which necessarily includes all good; contrary to the divine will, the eternal standard of good and evil; contrary to the pure, holy image of God, wherein man was originally created, and wherein he stood when God, surveying the works of his hands, saw them all to be very good; contrary to justice, mercy, and truth, and to the essential relations which each man bore to his Creator and his fellow-creatures. 4. But was there not good mingled with the evil? Was there not light intermixed with the darkness? No; none at all: God saw that the whole imagination of the heart of man was only evil. It cannot indeed be denied, but many of them, perhaps all, had good motions put into their hearts; for the Spirit of God did then also strive with man, if haply he might repent, more especially during that gracious reprieve, the hundred and twenty years, while the ark was preparing. But still in his flesh dwelt no good thing; all his nature was purely evil: It was wholly consistent with itself, and unmixed with anything of an opposite nature. 5. However, it may still be matter of inquiry, Was there no intermission of this evil? Were there no lucid intervals, wherein something good might be found in the heart of man? We are not here to consider, what the grace of God might occasionally work in his soul; and, abstracted from this, we have no reason to believe, there was any intermission of that evil. For God, who saw the whole imagination of the thoughts of his heart to be only evil, saw likewise, that it was always the same, that it was only evil continually; every year, every day, every hour, every moment. He never deviated into good. II. Such is the authentic account of the whole race of mankind which He who knoweth what is in man, who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins, hath left upon record for our instruction. Such were all men before God brought the flood upon the earth. We are, Secondly, to inquire, whether they are the same now. 1. And this is certain, the Scripture gives us no reason to think any otherwise of them. On the contrary, all the above cited passages of Scripture refer to those who lived after the flood. It was above a thousand years after, that God declared by David concerning the children of men, They are all gone out of the way, of truth and holiness; there is none righteous, no, not one. And to this bear all the Prophets witness, in their several generations. So Isaiah, concerning God s peculiar people, (and certainly the Heathens were in no better condition,) The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores. The same account is given by all the Apostles, yea, by the whole tenor of the oracles of God. From all these we learn, concerning man in his natural state, unassisted by the grace of God, that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is still evil, only evil, and that continually. 2. And this account of the present state of man is confirmed by daily

11 experience. It is true, the natural man discerns it not: And this is not to be wondered at. So long as a man born blind continues so, he is scarce sensible of his want: Much less, could we suppose a place where all were born without sight, would they be sensible of the want of it. In like manner, so long as men remain in their natural blindness of understanding, they are not sensible of their spiritual wants, and of this in particular. But as soon as God opens the eyes of their understanding, they see the state they were in before; they are then deeply convinced, that every man living, themselves especially, are, by nature, altogether vanity; that is, folly and ignorance, sin and wickedness. 3. We see, when God opens our eyes, that we were before CSGQKýGPýVYKýMQUOYK without God, or, rather, Atheists, in the world. We had, by nature, no knowledge of God, no acquaintance with him. It is true, as soon as we came to the use of reason, we learned the invisible things of God, even his eternal power and Godhead, from the things that are made. From the things that are seen we inferred the existence of an eternal, powerful Being, that is not seen. But still, although we acknowledged his being we had no acquaintance with him. As we know there is an Emperor of China, whom yet we do not know; so we knew there was a King of all the earth, yet we knew him not. Indeed we could not by any of our natural faculties. By none of these could we attain the knowledge of God. We could no more perceive him by our natural understanding, than we could see him with our eyes. For no one knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son willeth to reveal him. And no one knoweth the Son but the Father, and he to whom the Father revealeth him. 4. We read of an ancient king, who, being desirous to know what was the natural language of men, in order to bring the matter to a certain issue, made the following experiment: He ordered two infants, as soon as they were born, to be conveyed to a place prepared for them, where they were brought up without any instruction at all, and without ever hearing a human voice. And what was the event? Why that when they were at length brought out of their confinement, they spoke no language at all; they uttered only inarticulate sounds, like those of other animals. Were two infants in like manner to be brought up from the womb without being instructed in any religion, there is little room to doubt but (unless the grace of God interposed) the event would be just the same. They would have no religion at all: They would have no more knowledge of God than the beasts of the field, than the wild ass s colt. Such is natural religion, abstracted from traditional, and from the influences of God s Spirit! 5. And having no knowledge, we can have no love of God: We cannot love him we know not. Most men talk indeed of loving God, and perhaps imagine they do; at least, few will acknowledge they do not love him: But the fact is too plain to be denied. No man loves God by nature, any more than he does a stone, or the earth he treads upon. What we love we delight in: But no man has naturally any delight in God. In our natural state we cannot conceive how any one should delight in him. We take no pleasure in him at all; he is utterly tasteless to us. To love God! It is far above, out of our sight. We cannot, naturally, attain unto it. 6. We have by nature, not only no love, but no fear of God. It is allowed, indeed, that most men have, sooner or later, a kind of senseless, irrational fear, properly called superstition; though the blundering Epicureans gave it the name of religion. Yet even this is not natural, but acquired; chiefly by conversation or from example. By nature God is not in all our thoughts: We leave him to manage his own affairs, to sit quietly, as we imagine, in heaven, and leave us on earth to manage ours; so that we have no more of the fear of God before our eyes, than of the love of God in our hearts. 7. Thus are all men Atheists in the world. But Atheism itself does not screen

12 us from idolatry. In his natural state, every man born into the world is a rank idolater. Perhaps, indeed, we may not be such in the vulgar sense of the word. We do no, like the idolatrous Heathens, worship molten or graven images. We do not bow down to the stock of a tree, to the work of our own hands. We do not pray to the angels or saints in heaven, any more than to the saints that are upon the earth. But what then? We have set up our idols in our hearts; and to these we bow down and worship them: We worship ourselves, when we pay that honour to ourselves which is due to God only. Therefore all pride is idolatry; it is ascribing to ourselves what is due to God alone. And although pride was not made for man, yet where is the man that is born without it? But hereby we rob god of his unalienable right, and idolatrously usurp his glory. 8. But pride is not the only sort of idolatry which we are all by nature guilty of. Satan has stamped his own image on our heart in self-will also. I will, said he, before he was cast out of heaven, I will sit upon the sides of the north; I will do my own will and pleasure, independently on that of my Creator. The same does every man born into the world say, and that in a thousand instances; nay, and avow it too, without ever blushing upon the account, without either fear or shame. Ask the man, Why did you do this? He answers, Because I had a mind to it. What is this but, Because it was my will; that is, in effect, because the devil and I agreed; because Satan and I govern our actions by one and the same principle. The will of God, mean time, is not in his thoughts, is not considered in the least degree; although it be the supreme rule of every intelligent creature, whether in heaven or earth, resulting from the essential, unalterable relation which all creature bear to their Creator. 9. So far we bear the image of the devil, and tread in his steps. But at the next step we leave Satan behind; we run into an idolatry whereof he is not guilty: I mean love of the world; which is now as natural to every man, as to love his own will. What is more natural to us than to seek happiness in the creature, instead of the Creator? -- to seek that satisfaction in the works of his hands, which can be found in God only? What more natural than the desire of the flesh? that is, of the pleasure of sense in every kind? Men indeed talk magnificently of despising these low pleasures, particularly men of learning and education. They affect to sit loose to the gratification of these appetites wherein they stand on a level with the beasts that perish. But it is mere affectation; for every man is conscious to himself, that in this respect he is, by nature, a very beast. Sensual appetites, even those of the lowest kind, have, more or less, the dominion over him. They lead him captive; they drag him to and fro, in spite of his boasted reason. The man, with all his good breeding, and other accomplishments, has no pre-eminence over the goat: Nay, it is much to be doubted, whether the beast has not the pre-eminence over him. Certainly he has, if we may hearken to one of their modern oracles, who very decently tells us, Once in a season beasts too taste of love; Only the beast of reason is its slave, And in that folly drudges all the year. A considerable difference indeed, it must be allowed, there is between man and man, arising (beside that wrought by preventing grace) from difference of constitution and of education. But, notwithstanding this, who, that is not utterly ignorant of himself, can here cast the first stone at another? Who can abide the test of our blessed Lord s comment on the Seventh Commandment: He that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart? So that one knows not which to wonder at most, the ignorance or the insolence of those men who speak with such disdain of them that are overcome by desires which every man has felt in his own breast; the

13 desire of every pleasure of sense, innocent or not, being natural to every child of man. 10. And so is the desire of the eye; the desire of the pleasures of the imagination. These arise either from great, or beautiful, or uncommon objects; -- if the two former do not coincide with the latter; for perhaps it would appear, upon a diligent inquiry, that neither grand nor beautiful objects please any longer than they are new; that when the novelty of them is over, the greatest part, at least, of the pleasure they give is over; and in the same proportion as they become familiar, they become flat and insipid. But let us experience this ever so often, the same desire will remain still. The inbred thirst continues fixed in the soul; nay, the more it is indulged, the more it increases, and incites us to follow after another, and yet another object; although we leave every one with an abortive hope, and a deluded expectation. Yea, The hoary fool, who many days Has struggled with continued sorrow, Renews his hope, and fondly lays The desperate bet upon tomorrow! To-morrow comes! Tis noon! Tis night! This day, like all the former, flies: Yet on he goes, to seek delight To-morrow, till to-night he dies! 11. A third symptom of this fatal disease, the love of the world, which is so deeply rooted in our nature, is the pride of life; the desire of praise, of the honour that cometh of men. This the greatest admirers of human nature allow to be strictly natural; as natural as the sight, or hearing, or any other of the external senses. And are they ashamed of it, even men of letters, men of refined and improved understanding? So far from it that they glory therein! They applaud themselves for their love of applause! Yea, eminent Christians, so called, make no difficulty of adopting the saying of the old, vain Heathen, Animi dissoluti est et nequam negligere quid de se homines sentiant: Not to regard what men think of us is the mark of a wicked and abandoned mind. So that to go calm and unmoved through honour and dishonour, through evil report and good report, is with them a sign of one that is, indeed, not fit to live: Away with such a flow from the earth! But would one imagine that these men had ever heard of Jesus Christ or his Apostles; or that they knew who it was that said, How can ye believe who receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour which cometh of God only? But if this is really so, if it be impossible to believe, and consequently to please God, so long as we receive or seek honour one of another, and seek not the honour which cometh of God only; then in what a condition are all mankind! The Christians as well as Heathens! Since they all seek honour one of another! Since it is as natural for them so to do, themselves being the judges, as it is to see the light which strikes upon their eye, or to hear the sound which enters their ear; yea, since they account it a sign of a virtuous mind, to seek the praise of men, and of a vicious one, to be content with the honour that cometh of God only! III. 1. I proceed to draw a few inferences from what has been said. And, First, from hence we may learn one grand fundamental difference between Christianity, considered as a system of doctrines, and the most refined Heathenism. Many of the ancient Heathens have largely described the vices of particular men. They have spoken much against their covetousness, or cruelty; their luxury, or prodigality. Some have dared to say that no man is born without vices of one kind or another. But still as none of them were apprized of the fall of man, so none of them knew of his total corruption. They knew not that all men were empty of all good, and filled with all manner of evil. They were wholly ignorant of the entire depravation of the whole human nature, of every

14 man born into the world, in every faculty of his soul, not so much by those particular vices which reign in particular persons, as by the general flood of Atheism and idolatry, of pride, self-will, and love of the world. This, therefore, is the first grand distinguishing point between Heathenism and Christianity. The one acknowledges that many men are infected with many vices, and even born with a proneness to them; but supposes withal, that in some the natural good much over-balances the evil: The other declares that all men are conceived in sin, and shapen in wickedness; -- that hence there is in every man a carnal mind, which is enmity against God, which is not, cannot be, subject to his law; and which so infects the whole soul, that there dwelleth in him, in his flesh, in his natural state, no good thing; but every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is evil, only evil, and that continually. 2. Hence we may, Secondly, learn, that all who deny this, call it original sin, or by any other title, are put Heathens still, in the fundamental point which differences Heathenism from Christianity. They may, indeed, allow, that men have many vices; that some are born with us; and that, consequently, we are not born altogether so wise or so virtuous as we should be; there being few that will roundly affirm, We are born with as much propensity to good as to evil, and that every man is, by nature, as virtuous and wise as Adam was at his creation. But here is the shibboleth: Is man by nature filled with all manner of evil? Is he void of all good? Is he wholly fallen? Is his soul totally corrupted? Or, to come back to the text, is every imagination of the thoughts of his heart only evil continually? Allow this, and you are so far a Christian. Deny it, and you are but an Heathen still. 3. We may learn from hence, in the Third place, what is the proper nature of religion, of the religion of Jesus Christ. It is SGTCRGKCý[WEJGL, God s method of healing a soul which is thus diseased. Hereby the great Physician of souls applies medicines to heal this sickness; to restore human nature, totally corrupted in all its faculties. God heals all our Atheism by the knowledge of Himself, and of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent; by giving us faith, a divine evidence and conviction of God, and of the things of God, -- in particular, of this important truth, Christ loved me -- and gave himself for me. By repentance and lowliness of heart, the deadly disease of pride is healed; that of self-will by resignation, a meek and thankful submission to the will of God; and for the love of the world in all its branches, the love of God is the sovereign remedy. Now, this is properly religion, faith thus working by love; working the genuine meek humility, entire deadness to the world, with a loving, thankful acquiescence in, and conformity to, the whole will and word of God. 4. Indeed, if man were not thus fallen, there would be no need of all this. There would be no occasion for this work in the heart, this renewal in the spirit of our mind. The superfluity of godliness would then be a more proper expression than the superfluity of naughtiness. For an outside religion, without any godliness at all, would suffice to all rational intents and purposes. It does, accordingly, suffice, in the judgment of those who deny this corruption of our nature. They make very little more of religion than the famous Mr. Hobbes did of reason. According to him, reason is only a well-ordered train of words: According to them, religion is only a well-ordered train of words and actions. And they speak consistently with themselves; for if the inside be not full of wickedness, if this be clean already, what remains, but to cleanse the outside of the cup? Outward reformation, if their supposition be just, is indeed the one thing needful. 5. But ye have not so learned the oracles of God. Ye know, that He who seeth what is in man gives a far different account both of nature and grace, of our fall and our